


Aftermath

by Andromedanewton



Series: Anita and Edward (my canon divergence) [15]
Category: Anita Blake: Vampire Hunter - Laurell K. Hamilton
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Victim Blaming
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-15
Updated: 2016-08-15
Packaged: 2018-08-08 21:57:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,381
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7775176
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Andromedanewton/pseuds/Andromedanewton
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the chloroform...</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aftermath

'Anita? Anita?'   
My face was being tapped lightly, my head felt heavy and opening my eyes just wasn't happening. I knew the voice, not well, but I had been told to trust it, so I did, and forced my eyes open. Bernardo was sitting on the side of the bed and the last thing I remembered flooded back; Olaf, the drug, helpless. I sucked in air in a great gasp and sat up suddenly, Bernardo leaning back or I would have collided with him. I was still in the hotel room, the lights were on and I had automatically clutched the sheet to my naked breasts.   
'You okay?' Bernardo asked and I nodded, too fast but relieved all the same and I realised I could hear sirens.   
'I'm okay, I think.' I replied.   
'Where's your executioner licence? The cops are coming.' He asked and I nodded to my wallet on the dresser. It seemed like an odd thing to ask but I was still struggling to process what was going on. 'Here, hold it.' He forced it into my free hand and took his own out of his pocket, clipping it to the collar of his button-down.   
'Olaf...' I managed and he nodded.  
'You shot him.' He glanced at the floor behind him. 'I heard the shot, found you unconscious.'  
'I don't remember shooting him.' I admitted, leaning around him to see the huge man laying on the floor with half of his face missing. Yep, he was dead alright.   
'Shock, maybe.' The sirens were close now and Bernardo went to the door. 'Guess I know what you have over Edward now.'  
'I guess so.' I murmured, not really listening.   
'He always swore you were platonic.'  
'We were.'  
'Doesn't look very platonic.'  
'I used the past tense.' I said detachedly.   
'Fair point.' He said and opened he door. 'Here, officers. Bernardo Spotted-Horse. Colleague of mine got attacked.'  
Paramedics were called, the coroner was called, Edward was called but wasn't answering his phone, I was finally allowed to dress, in the bathroom of course, and we were all moved to Bernardo's room, away from the soggy mess Olaf now was. I was brought coffee, which was a plus, and seated with a scratchy grey blanket around me while my vitals were taken. I still felt groggy but the worst of the effects had passed and I was starting to remember things a little clearer.   
The rumble of the Humvee's engine signalled Edward's return and we heard him before we saw him. He was arguing with the cops about being let in and in the end Bernardo went to the door and said; 'it's okay, he's her boyfriend.' And I realised, as he came through the door with a worried look on his face, that was probably the best description. It sounded pretty eighth grade to me but lovers made it sound like there was no emotional attachment and we weren't anything else.  
He dropped to his knees in front of me and I didn't think I had ever seen such fear in his eyes, such worry. 'Are you okay? Are you hurt?'  
I shook my head and he cupped my cheek with his hand, making me still. 'I'm fine.'  
'Are you her partner?' The paramedic with my finger attached to a heart rate monitor asked and I realised that was what we were; partners. A much more grown up term.   
'Yeah, I am.' He sank back to his heels, lowering his hand to hold my free one.  
Bernardo walked away from the table with his hand over his mouth, muttering; 'Shit.' Under his breath.  
'She's been through a traumatic experience.'  
'I've been through worse.' The paramedic gave me a dubious look but I ignored her.   
'She has.' Edward assured her. 'I'll take care of her.'  
'You know how to take care of someone post trauma?'  
'I have military medical training, trust me, I'm qualified for whatever she went through.'  
'Alright.' She removed the monitor from my finger and tutted. 'It's a little high, but that's to be expected. I need to ask you something, and you might want privacy for...'  
'I don't need a rape kit, it didn't get that far.' I realised what she was implying.   
'Okay.' She clipped the monitor on her top pocket. 'If you change your mind or feel any ill effects go straight to the emergency room.'  
'I'll make sure she does.'   
That one sentence made me stare at the man in front of me in sheer shock. I hadn't realised it was actually Theodore sitting there, I had expected him to put "ma'am" on the end as Ted, as he always did when dealing with officials, but he didn't, and as he swept my mussed hair from my brow I realised he must be as shaken as I was.   
The paramedic left us, after letting Theodore make a note of my vitals so he had a comparison, and the police descended in their wake, murder detectives obviously, and once they realised they had four spook squad specialists from around the country, one of whom was dead, they about flipped out and called the FBI. They still wanted a statement, for their records, but they didn't want to touch the case with a shitty stick.   
'First off,' Detective Gordon asked as he sat beside me, 'what are four vampire hunters doing so far out of their own territories?'  
'Road trip.' Theodore had produced his license too, and introduced himself, but not as Ted, as Theodore, and that left Bernardo barely able to conceal his surprise.   
'And what went wrong?'  
'Otto couldn't keep his hands to himself.'  
I gave Theodore a sideways glance and wondered where the name Otto came from, but I guessed he was to Olaf as Edward was to Ted, Theodore, shit, this was confusing.   
'He's had his eye on Anita since she arrived.' Bernardo added. 'Not in a flattering way.'  
'One girl with three guys, what did you expect?' Gordon said without looking up from his notepad and Theodore's hand tightened on mine.   
'Oh, I don't know, maybe for him not to be a fucking dick because I have breasts would have been my assumption.'  
He wasn't fazed by my reply and continued. 'You didn't flirt with him at all?'  
'Did you miss the part where we're a couple?' Theodore asked indignantly.   
Gordon looked over his glasses at us. 'Doesn't always mean there's not something else going on.'  
'I didn't invite him into the room Theodore and I are sharing and ask him to bring chloroform.'  
'You're sure you didn't provoke him?'  
'I definitely, no, did not provoke him, come on to him, didn't actually know the guy very well.'  
'He gave you reason enough to shoot him, you must have known something about him?'  
'I know I don't deserve to be treated the way you are treating me, detective. Victim blaming helps no one.'  
'Quite often in these cases, Ms Blake, you fine there was some provocation.'  
'You mean because I'm the only girl in this otherwise sausage fest?' He nodded. 'Lack of penis doesn't make me a target, detective, it makes him, and you, misogynists.'  
'Insults won't help us get to the bottom of what happened.' He stated.   
'Then apologise for calling me a prick tease and I'll drop it.'  
'I'm sorry?' He asked and I shrugged.   
'Not perfect but in the interest of getting the fuck on with it I'll accept it. He broke into our room after Theodore left and tried to drug me. When I started to blackout he thought I was vulnerable and let go of me. I remember raising my gun and shooting, I felt the trigger give under my finger, but I don't remember aiming.'  
'You admit to killing him?'  
'I admit to defending myself. I didn't aim to kill, I aimed to save myself from him, to stop him any way I could.'  
'Okay, detective, you're done.' Theodore stated firmly. 'If you look into Otto Jeffries past you'll see he already has one rape conviction. Let us know when the Feds get here, I'm sure their attitude can't be worse than yours.' He stood and pulled me behind him, Bernardo getting up too, and he led us all out of the motel to the Hummer.


End file.
